


Tonight, We're Catching Fire

by rome_in_asia



Category: K-pop, The Boyz (Korea Band)
Genre: Action/Adventure, Alternate Universe - Historical, Conspiracy, Family, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, Rebellion, Reveal, Royalty, the sun is shining outside now help, we dont beta read in this fandom
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-26
Updated: 2020-05-26
Packaged: 2021-03-02 23:01:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24394672
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rome_in_asia/pseuds/rome_in_asia
Summary: "It looks terrible, I know. I could barely walk after we escaped the palace and arrows. Hyunjoon literally carried me here." Changmin winced, letting Joonyoung clean his wounds. He fixed Hyungseo with a determined glare. "But if I had to go through it again, I will. I definitely will, Hyungseo."[Inspired by Reveal (Catching Fire)]
Comments: 8
Kudos: 75





	Tonight, We're Catching Fire

"Did you find him?" 

  
Hyungseo looked up from where he was sorting the medicinal herbs into baskets. Sunwoo was standing in front of him, arms folded. Hyungseo peeked behind Sunwoo, checking to see the extent of their privacy in the palace clinic. 

  
Privacy, they have come to learn from experience, was very hard to come by these days. Spies and eunuchs were everywhere; nowhere was safe.

  
Hyungseo raised an eyebrow, hoping the young prince could understand that they shouldn't talk about such... 'wild' things. He watched the young royal sit down on a cushion, looking behind his shoulder one last time to make sure no one was listening.

  
"I had Youngjae guard at the entrance of the clinic." Sunwoo quickly explained, leaning forward. "Hyung, did you find Changmin-hyung? Is he alright? What about Hyunjoon? What happened to them?"

  
Hyungseo suddenly felt a bitter lump in his throat at the mention of the two other boys. His anxiety rose, speeding his heartbeat up. What was he to tell Sunwoo? No, that's the wrong question. Hyungseo will tell Sunwoo the truth... It's just... how could he phrase it to make it hurt less?

  
"They didn't make it, Sunwoo." Hyungseo thought that there was no other way to say the truth. "Changmin was supposed to meet me at the boundary of Baekje and Goryeo this morning as agreed... but.. he wasn't there."

  
"They could have survived, hyung!" Sunwoo was visibly struggling to keep his calm and voice down. "There's no way the plan failed. Changmin-hyung bought enough time for Hyunjoon to run, right? Hyung, please. Please tell me they are alright. They reached Joonyoung-hyung. Right?"

  
Hyungseo remained silent.

  
"Sunwoo, Master Han is coming!" Youngjae was suddenly at the door way, shucking his shoes off in a hurry to get inside the clinic. "We can't run away. You have to pretend you have a stomachache-- why are you crying? Hyungseo-hyung..?"

  
"They didn't make it, Jae." Sunwoo whispered, hugging his half-brother tightly. "They didn't make it."

  
"Master Moon--"

  
Master Han froze, eyeing the two princes in the clinic with a suspicious look. Sunwoo was still sobbing, unable to control himself, and Youngjae was on the verge of crying as well, though he seemed to be able to handle himself better. Hyungseo decided to quickly save their skins, not wanting the younger boys to be in any danger.

  
"Master Han, good afternoon!" Hyungseo greeted, getting up to bow. "Please, excuse the royal princes. I made them taste a bitter herb to help reduce the pain of their wisdom teeth coming out. It tastes horrendous, but I do believe it will disappear after a while. How may I help you?"

  
Master Han made a noise of agreement. "The young princes are at the prime of their youth, then. It is good to see your Highnesses are healthy." he then turned to Hyungseo. "As for you, Master Moon, I have been notified that there will be shipments of herbs for Goryeo. I would like you to be at the checkpoint by tomorrow to verify the quality of the medicine before they reach the capitol."

  
Hyungseo looked surprised. "Ah... yes. Yes, I will, Master Han."

  
"There are also notices that rebels may try to take the medicine. You should be wary as you go, Master Moon. You never know who the enemy is these days." Master Han turned to leave, but stopped to look at the two princes before going. "Your Highnesses, your presence will be required in the main palace hall before sunset. Please make sure to attend, along with your brothers. Important matters will be discussed."

  
They stayed silent for a few moments after the old eunuch has left, with Youngjae getting up to check if Master Han had really left. 

  
"Rebel attacks? If Changmin and Hyunjoon had really not survived, the rebels would have given up." Youngjae was quick to suggest, still staying by the door to watch out for potential eavesdroppers. "Hyungseo-hyung, this is our chance to know if we succeeded!"

  
Hyungseo shook his head, unbelieving. "Youngjae, you saw the attack yesterday. Flames are high as the sky and burning as bright as the sun followed the trail Changmin and Hyunjoon left. No one could have survived that."

  
"Changmin-hyung is the best Hwarang the kingdom has ever made, hyung." Sunwoo insisted, clinging onto every fraying fiber of hope that they had. "They survived, I can feel it. Hyung, you have to find out."

  
Hyungseo sighed, already defeated. "Yes, of course I will try to find out, Sunwoo. You and Youngjae have to be very careful from now on. If the eunuchs or King Jisoo knew it was you two and Haknyeon who broke Hyunjoon out of the cells last night... please, you have to be careful."

  
"You too, hyung." Sunwoo stood up, joining Youngjae by the doorway. "Please, we can't lose now. We've waited for so long."

  
The young princes left the clinic, walking back towards the main palace slowly. The ground they were walking on was scorched with burned arrows and ashes from the disarray the night before. It was terrifying to recount... as Hyungseo said, no one could have survived the hellfire rain by the royal guards as Changmin and Hyunjoon ran.

  
Still, it was not a crime to hope. 

  
Haknyeon was waiting for them by the palace steps, eyebrows knitted in worry. "Master Han went into the clinic earlier. What happened?" he noted his brothers also seem to have cried, and so quickly offered them both handkerchiefs. "Everything is fine, right?"

  
"We don't know for certain, hyung." Youngjae sniffed, blowing his nose. He looked around, making sure there were no wayward listeners, before leaning in. "Tomorrow. We will know for certain. Hyungseo-hyung will go meet with the rebels."

  
"That's not very comforting to hear, but it is better than thinking of anything else." Haknyeon sighed, leading them into the palace. "King Jisoo had ordered an emergency meeting. It will definitely have something to do with last night. We have to be careful."

  
______________________________

  
Juyeon glared at the young concubines surrounding him and his brothers. Jaehyun and Younghoon seemed uneasy as well, tired from listening and putting up with the concubines so obviously put there by the usurper king to spy on and watch the older princes for him. It had been like that for years, they should have been used to it.

  
"Wine, my prince?" a concubine to his left asked.

  
"No, thank you." Juyeon waved the offer away. He was actually feeling nauseous. Juyeon had been racked with worry the entire day and even the night before-- their plan was dangerous and admittedly very dumb, but it was worth the try. Anything was worth to save his family and the kingdom.

  
Juyeon knew the concubines were flocking to him for a reason. He was, after all, the rightful king. It would have been Hyunjoon, and the younger boy would have done a marvelous job at ruling Goryeo, but King Jisoo... ha, maybe starting from the beginning would be better.

  
Three years ago, Goryeo was ruled by King Seojoon. He had several concubines, as was usual for a king, but he maintained a good relationship with his wife, Queen Byul. The kingdom was in harmony, and Juyeon grew up with a strong bond to his half brothers. They knew and acknowledged Hyunjoon was the rightful heir, even if he was younger, because Hyunjoon was Queen Byul's son. Juyeon, Hyunjae, Younghoon, Haknyeon, Sunwoo, and Eric were all only from their father's concubines. 

  
King Seojoon was then found murdered in his bed one night, and the crown was stolen from his head. Chaos ensued in the palace, until Queen Byul found the usurper sitting on the throne in the main palace hall. Jisoo, a former Hwarang turned outlaw, was holding a bloody knife.

  
Juyeon still recalled it vividly, how Jisoo had walked right up to Queen Byul, who was shielding the young princes, and slit her throat. Younghoon, the eldest and wisest of the siblings, was quick to gather them away from murderous Jisoo, hiding themselves in a room until all was controlled by the palace guards.

  
They were found out a few hours later, when dawn broke, but there was new king. Jisoo had placed the crown on his head, using Queen Byul's lifeless body as a foot rest. He had pointed at Hyunjoon, well aware that the young prince was the actual heir, and demanded that the guards cut his head off.

  
They pleaded, they fought. Hyunjoon was to be saved, but he had to give up the claim for the throne. There was no other way out of the doom Jisoo had placed upon their heads; Hyunjoon knelt and was whisked away to a cell, isolated and away from his brothers.

  
Juyeon was the one next in line to the throne, as his mother was a daughter of a princess before, and so King Jisoo kept a close eye on him. It took great willpower to hold himself back and not stab the usurper whenever they spoke, but Juyeon managed, biding his time and building hope that one day, he and his brothers will restore the crown to Hyunjoon.

  
Except... it was supposed to be the night before. Had Hyunjoon managed to survive and escape, he could rally a cause in the capitol and an insurgence to dethrone the current tyrant.

  
"Juyeon, it's time to go. King Jisoo is ordering a meeting now." Jaehyun touched his arm. Juyeon realized they were alone then, the concubines all gone to further pretty themselves up for the evening. "Haknyeon also arrived earlier to tell us what Hyungseo knew."

  
Younghoon was putting on his robes, tightening the sash around his waist where he kept knives just in case. "Hyungseo will meet up with rebel forces by the borders. Only then will we know if Hyunjoon is alive. I pray that he is. I cannot decide what is worse, dying in a cell, alone and cold, or in yesterday's fire."

  
"I'd prefer to believe he made it." Jaehyun argued. "Younghoon, you have to have faith in Changmin. He is the best Hwarang we have. His loyalty is bound to Hyunjoon and this country, not to some king. Changmin can and will do his best. They made it."

  
Juyeon watched his brothers console themselves. It was unmistakably difficult to be hopeful at such a grievous and uncertain time. Still, he knew the fight had to keep going. There was no giving up to be done.

  
"Changmin... I am worried about him." Younghoon admitted. "The beatings he could have received from the guards and King Jisoo himself would not have been light. We should have stopped him from pretending to be Hyunjoon, even if it was to buy time to unlock our brother from the cells. We could have thought of a different way."

  
Juyeon shook his head. "There was no other way, hyung. We know that. We could be of little help, as concubines even sleep in the same bed as us even when we do not want them. Changmin, as the head Hwarang, had the training to withstand the beatings and free reign to move around the palace. Hyunjae-hyung is right, we should believe in them."

  
Younghoon did not look very happy at that, but he still nodded, putting on a straight face as they started to walk towards the main palace room. The eunuchs were already there, bowing to them deeply as they passed to reach the thrones at the end of the room.

  
Their younger brothers were already there, sitting together and eating. Sunwoo's eyes were puffy, and Juyeon knew immediately that the younger had been crying. Juyeon wanted to ask, but refrained. Not in public where the Eunuchs could hear them if they strained their ears hard enough. Youngjae's eyes were red as well, but the youngest still managed to joke around and liff their moods.

  
"Things will be better soon." Haknyeon said, quiet and soft and more like a hopeful prayer. "Soon."

  
______________________________

  
Sunlight peeked through the thick canopy of the trees as Changmin moved himself and his small band of rebels forward. The road was just in front of them, and they could hear the grinding of wooden wheels on the dirt, a tell tale sign that the shipments containing medicine for the palace was already in place.

  
He lifted a hand, a signal for his group to stop, and pointed at the thick shrubs to hide. They would not attack just yet. Changmin was waiting for someone to arrive-- Hyungseo had to arrive first. He knew the older eunuchs would send the young doctor to check the medicine at the boundary. If the medicine were to pass without being checked, they could be deemed fake or even poison to the royal family.

  
Changmin snorted. Royal family... King Jisoo couldn't care less if the princes died. They would be thorns removed from his side if ever. The only reason the usurper was keeping them alive was that the people would definitely cause a rebellion if any of their beloved princes would be killed. They already thought the rightful king, Hyunjoon, was dead, afterall. It almost caused an uprising, but King Jisoo had placated the masses with showing how the other princes were alive. It was more like a threat, though.

  
The sound of hooves hitting the road made Changmin snap out of his thoughts. He pulled back some leaves from his line of sight, confirming that it was indeed Hyungseo and some guards on horseback.

  
Hyungseo jumped down from his horse, greeting the merchants. He was as courteous as ever, thus why the old eunuchs never doubted him, but Hyungseo's eyes were darting around, also looking for something. His eyes finally met Changmin's gaze, and Changmin sent him a small smile.

  
It still hurt to smile after the beating King Jisoo gave him two days ago, but the rebellious flame in Changmin made him bear the pain.

  
He turned to his men, ordering them to spread out with a wave of his hand, just like how they planned. Once he was sure his troops had surrounded the checkpoint, Changmin braced himself. He whistled, then ran towards Hyungseo.

  
Hyungseo barely had time to duck as arrows suddenly started flying. Changmin caught his wrist and dragged him into the bushes, causing Hyungseo, who was not very familiar with the rough terrain of the woods, to trip over a rock and fall to the ground.

  
"I think my leg is broken." Hyungseo mumbled out, still face down on the dirt. 

  
"I'm sorry." Changmin was indeed apologetic, but it was funny to see how the doctor was still unmoving on the forest floor. "I had to act quick. Our archers are shooting blind to cover every possible spot, so you had to be out immediately. Can you stand?"

  
"Barely." with a little help, Hyungseo was on his feet. He then wrapped Changmin in a hug, careful to not cause pain as Changmin was certainly bruised all over. "I'm so glad you made it, Min. How are you? Is Hyunjoon alright as well? What happened--"

  
"Master Moon--" a guard had miraculously survived the arrow rain, and his eyes were wide with surprise and confusion at seeing the former Hwarang leader still alive after the rain of fire the King had commanded to be rained down upon him. "Master Ji? You-- you're not supposed to be alive! You betrayed the king! Master Moon, you as well? This is--"

  
The guard was already reaching for his sword, ready to charge, but Changmin was quick to pull his own sword out. In mere seconds, the silver blade was dripping with fresh blood and a severed head rolled towards Hyungseo's feet.

  
"You... you could have told me to look away." Hyungseo managed to choke out.

  
"Sorry." Changmin sheathed his sword and moved to help Hyungseo walk after signaling his troop that they were done with a whistle. "The rebel camp is just near here, by the river. Joonyoung-hyung can get you healed up in no time. He managed to make me walk after the hellfire."

  
"Of course, he will." Hyungseo winced as the pain on his leg increased with every step they took. "I learned from him. If he hadn't ran away from the palace when Jisoo had Hyunjoon locked up, he would have been the head doctor, not me."

  
They made it into a small village. Changmin was greeted by the villagers warmly, though they seemed apprehensive of Hyungseo as the doctor was still dressed in robes from the palace capitol. Still, a man helped Changmin carry Hyungseo into one of the bigger houses, laying him down on a bed as the man fetched Joonyoung for them.

  
"Hyungseo!"

  
"Please don't hug-- oww." Hyungseo felt his ribs crack as Joonyoung wrapped him in a bone-crushing hug. "It's nice to see you too again, hyung. Please let me breathe, we still have much to do."

  
"It's been years!" Joonyoung gasped, eyes watery. "Of course, I would miss you, Hyungseo. You're like my brother... what happened to you? Why do you look like you fell into a mound of dirt?"

  
Changmin was drinking water in the corner, looking at the interaction with amusement. "He did. I grabbed him when the arrows started flying, but he tripped and fell. At least he did not get hit by an arrow, hyung. It could have been worse."

  
Joonyoung laughed. "That sounds very like Hyungseo. Changmin, what about you? Are your ribs healing nicely? Let me see. We have to change the salve today as well."

  
Hyungseo watched in horror as Changmin lifted his shift, showing blue and black skin wrapped with cloth and healing herbs.

  
"It looks terrible, I know. I could barely walk after we escaped the palace and arrows. Hyunjoon literally carried me here." Changmin winced, letting Joonyoung clean his wounds. He fixed Hyungseo with a determined glare. "But if I had to go through it again, I will. I definitely will, Hyungseo."

  
______________________________

  
"Someone is here to see you, your Highnesses." a concubine said, interrupting the princes' studying time. She moved to the side, allowing a familiar face to walk into the palace library, and Haknyeon had to step on Youngjae's foot to keep the youngest from squealing.

  
"Thank you, Minju. Ah, you have to redo your hair. The pin does not match with the silk ribbon on your waist." Chanhee smiled sweetly at the concubine, whose hand immediately flew to her hair in panic. She quickly ran out, and Chanhee was quick to slam the door behind her. "She's not even that pretty."

  
"How did you get past... everything?" Hyunjae managed to stutter out, still looking at their old friend in shock.

  
Youngjae and Sunwoo ran to hug Chanhee, who wholeheartedly engulfed them in his arms. "You can go anywhere with a pretty voice and prettier face. Hey, have you been watching them eat? Youngjae and Sunwoo's thinner than usual! Haknyeon too! You boys have some explaining to do."

  
"Chanhee, I'm serious! How did you...?" Younghoon was suddenly tackled with a hug. "Chan, seriously, you have to explain!"

  
"I don't have much time. I'm only here as a court singer, but I have a message from the hyungs." Chanhee gave Jaehyun and Juyeon brief hugs as well. He looked at the door, voice dropping to an almost inaudible whisper, "Hyungseo will be coming back to the palace tonight under the pretense of having escaped from the rebel stronghold. 

  
"He'll bring a prisoner with him, to show He Who Much Not Be Named his 'loyalty'. Changmin has already raised enough troops to subdue the outside guards, but what happens inside here... it's up to you."

  
The silence was heavy after that.

  
"You do have a plan, right?" Chanhee pressed them, eyebrows furrowed. "This will happen tomorrow night. We only have a day, at most, to make sure this works. Please tell me you have a plan."

  
Juyeon tapped his fingers on the table, agitated. "I do. It's just... not very safe."

  
"Juyeon, we could all literally die at any moment. Nothing is 'very safe' anymore." Chanhee rolled his eyes, looking at the door. "I do not know when I will be able to talk to you next, so I will leave it to you to. I think you can request for me to sing in private, though I doubt the King would allow that since he knows we all knew each other."

  
Haknyeon looked surprised at that. "He knows? How?"

  
"Jisoo was a Hwarang. He watched us all growing up. He knows all of us. That's why it is so hard to trick him. I'm here on special request by his cheif adviser to sing, but I doubt I have freedom any more than Hyungseo does."

  
"Someone's coming." Eric warned, hearing distant footsteps.

  
Chanhee nodded, standing up straight and starting to sing a lullaby. Hearing his voice after a long time of hardship made the princes feel better, relaxing them and clearing their minds as to what they have to do next. Juyeon smiled to himself when he realized Chanhee was singing about a revolution.

  
The door burst open and guards stormed in, followed by one of the King's loyal eunuchs, Master Ong. He at first looked suspicious at the group, but realized Chanhee was only doing his job, singing to the princes, just as he was paid to do.

  
"Can we help you, Master Ong? You interrupted a concert." Jaehyun asked. He didn't have to try and fake his annoyance at the interruption. He disliked the gluttonous and scheming Master Ong that handled the kingdom's finances. Chanhee had stopped singing, blinking at the official.

  
"I apologize, your Highness." Master Ong at least had the audacity to look ashamed, though it was probably more to get Chanhee on his good graces and something else. "Master Choi, please, do continue your serenade. This was merely a mistaken attempt."

  
"Yes, Master Ong." Chanhee bowed as well, watching the official and his caravan leave. 

  
"Chanhee, you have no idea of the power you hold." Juyeon told him, then his voice dropped into a whisper. "Sunwoo, the door. Lock it by moving a rag under the panel to make it stick."

  
That night, as the princes were in Juyeon's quarters listening to Chanhee sing, a loud sound of the gong interrupted them and sent the princes running towards the main palace room. All the officials and eunuchs were already there, along with Hyungseo and a bound man.

  
"Sangyeon-hyung?" They watched from the side, Haknyeon couldn't help but whisper, watching the bound man raise his head to lock eyes with the usurper king. "No. They shouldn't have sent Sangyeon-hyung! They know what's going to happen to him! He hates him!"

  
"Hak," Chanhee placed a hand on the panicking prince's shoulder. "That's exactly why they sent him. Hyungseo has to come back to prove his loyalty and trick the king that the insurgency failed and died. The only way to prove that is by bringing its leader. Sangyeon-hyung was the head Hwarang before Changmin. He can take it."

  
"No, no! Hyung, we have to stop this!" Youngjae pleaded to his older brothers, close to tears. Jaehyun shook his head, holding the youngest close to him in a hug as King Jisoo appraised the head of the insurgency in front of him.

  
Younghoon didn't want to watch, but he couldn't take his eyes away when Jisoo knelt and slapped Sangyeon across the cheek, leaving a dark print.

  
"You rebels never learn who the true king is." Jisoo snarled.

  
"Oh, we know who the king is." Sangyeon spat blood out, making sure to stain the king's clothes. "And he's not the one with the crown on his head right now."

  
"Take him away!" 

  
As he was being lifted up to his feet, Sangyeon saw the small huddle by the shadowed sides of the hall. He sent them a small smile, telling them he was fine, before he was dragged away.

  
______________________________

  
"Do you have it?" 

  
Hyungseo nodded, slipping Chanhee the small paper filled with crushed herb. "It will happen at sunset. Tell them to act fast because Changmin knows that no matter how many men he gathers to hold the palace guards busy, they're still very limited in terms of resources. They are no match for a long stand off against trained Hwarangs."

  
The palace was silent as Chanhee walked from the clinic to the prince's palace, keeping the package safely tucked in his robes. He gave the guards a smile, letting him pass through easily, and broke into a run the moment they were gone. No time was to be wasted anymore. The revolution will happen in two hours.

  
"What is this?" Jaehyun asked, taking the paper. 

  
"Poison. I don't know how potent it is, but I can assure you no one will die from it. You have to slip into the wine the eunuchs and officials drink later. It's to weaken them and prevent them from fighting back" Chanhee explained, out if breath. "Hyung, it's important that you and the others not drink anything tonight."

  
"Is Changmin alright?" Younghoon finally asked. Chanhee gave him a small smile, patting his arm. The notion made Younghoon breathe out a sigh of relief, unburdening some weight off of his shoulders. Still, he wanted to do so much more unspeakable things to the usurper king for what he did to Changmin. "That's good to know."

  
"Let's go. It's almost sunset." Juyeon told his brothers. "Your swords. Keep them hidden. We have one chance at this."

  
At dinner in the long hall, King Jisoo was at peace, watching his officials and eunuchs chatter around him. The princes ate silently and slowly, not really in the mood for supper. Sangyeon, the so-called 'guest of honor', was chained up and bound beside King Jisoo. The usurper king looked smug, thinking victory was truly his.

  
Jaehyun excused himself from the table to relieve himself, passing by Hyungseo in the hallway. The younger gave him a tight-lipped smile, anxious, and Jaehyun caught his hand, giving a small, reassuring squeeze, before the prince disappeared into the kitchens.

  
Back in the main hall, more food was beinf served, as well as more wine. King Jisoo noted the princes weren't drinking any, and so also declined the alcohol, already feeling suspicious. His mood was starting to turn sour, and so ordered Chanhee to start singing.

  
Before Chanhee could start even the first note, a loud gong suddenly sounded, along with screams and gurgled grunts as the eunuchs and officials started to drop on the floor. King Jisoo stood up, confused at the commotion, and yelling for his guards.

  
The princes sprang to action amidst the chaos, with Younghoon quickly unsheating his sword to break Sangyeon from his chains. Juyeon grabbed Chanhee from the stage, as Jisoo stormed off to find his guards.

  
"Get Sangyeon-hyung out of here, he's been starved and is too weak to fight. Hyungseo is by the kitchens. Go to him, you will be safe there. Take Youngjae, Sunwoo, and Haknyeon with you too. Stay hidden until this is over. We will find you then."

  
Chanhee nodded, taking over Younghoon helping Sangyeon up.

  
"Let's find him. He must have went out." Younghoon told Juyeon.

  
Before they could leave the main hall, a swarm of Hwarangs had already broken through. Jaehyun finally joined them again, clicking his tongue at the idea of having to fight their sworn protectors. Slowly but surely, the eldest princes began to hack their way past the Hwarangs, spilling blood everywhere.

  
Hwarangs had a code to never surrender, or else be deemed a traitor and be outlawed, so the princes knew they would never stand down.

  
Jaehyun grabbed a Hwarang by the collar, eyes burning with anger. "Where is he?" he hissed, referring to the usurper king. Jaehyun shook the petrified Hwarang, anger building up at every unresponsive second. "Where is your goddamn king?"

  
"Tell your men to stand down and let the rebel forces in." Younghoon laid a hand on Jaehyun's arm, noticing how the Hwarang they were talking to was wearing the highest rank uniform. "Let the rebel forces in and do not harm them. Your king will be dead."

  
"I have to get him." Juyeon wiped the blood off his sword with a nearby official's robe. "I have to kill Jisoo."

  
"There's a place the King goes to when he wants to be alone." the Hwarang finally relented. "The High Tower. He's alone. He told the entire palace troops to kill you all... He won't be unarmed. He will kill you."

  
"Not if Juyeon kills him first." Jaehyun finally let the Hwarang go, but kept his sword tip on the soldier's neck. "Go, Juyeon. We'll subdue the fighting outside. We've been waiting for this for a long time now."

  
The High Tower was the tallest structure in the kingdom. Juyeon swore he'd burn it to the ground one day; no one was above another in this world.

  
Jisoo was at the top, swinging a sword around and still wearing the golden crown that he plucked off the princes' dead father's head. Juyeon didn't bother greeting him with a proper duel. No, he lounged immediately and their swords clashed with a sharp noise.

  
All the pent up anger, the need for revenge... all the power was tingling on the tips of Juyeon's fingertips as he overpowered the usurper king with every swing of his sword. Finally, Juyeon had Jisoo on the ground, sword to his throat.

  
"This is for my father." he growled, sinking the steel blade into the usurper's throat. Jisoo's blank eyes stared back at him, defeated and scared, and Juyeon wrenched the crown off from the dead man's head.

  
Juyeon stared at the crown, breathing heavily. Below him, he could hear the joyous cries of the rebels as they finall broke into the palace.

  
"I hope Hyunjoon still fits in this crown." Juyeon chuckled to himself. "We made it."

**Author's Note:**

> hello :)
> 
> pls stream to help our boyz:  
> yt: https://youtu.be/riq8NNtRjWU  
> naver: http://naver.me/x6ij1iE7
> 
> pls hit me up or knock me out so i can sleep  
> [twitter: @juyeonieee]


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